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F. HACHMANN.

NUTCRACKER.

APPLICATION HLEO Arms. me.

1 ,1 94,837. Patented Aug. 15, 1916. V

/"/?0 50/ an HA c/g/v/a ANY) 3.) ar WW ful 1m rovement in Nutcrackers,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK HACHMANN,

OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO LEONARD MATTHEWS, m, ANTOINE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM MODRA, BOTH OF ST. LOUIS, MIS- SOURI.

NUTCRACKEB.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Fnnnnmox Haon- MANN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at St. Louis, in the State of Mrssouri, have invented a certain new and useof which the fol owing is a specification.

This invention relates to nut cracking devices of the t pe adapted for attachment to a table or other support and to be manually operated. These devices embody in their organization a pair of cooperatmg jaws arranged to receive the nut endwise between them and to be moved relatively tow rd each other with suiiicient forceto break or crack the nut hall. The operation of the devices involves an initial relative adjustment of the jaws to approximately the size of the nut, positioning the not between the jaws and finallv moving one of the aws forcibl to crack the nut. It has been proposed eretofore'to make both jaws movable in order that the one might be shifted to effect 'thedesired initial a justment and the other operated, usually by means of a ower lever, for supplym orce to vcrackthe nut. W on the devices are so constructed it becomes necessary to employ one hand for manipulating the power jaw and the other for performing the two remaining operations of shifting-the adjustable jaw and placing the'nut to be cracked. In consequence of these two operations being the work of the one hand not only is an a preciable loss of time incurred, but the initial adjustment or setting of the device must take curate adjustment becomes practically impossible. As an improvement on such. devices it has been proposed to equip sucha device with a singlemovable jaw adapted for mani ulation in effecting both theimtial rapid ad ustment and the application of the final nut cracking force, but these later nut cracking operation may be earns the for- Bpeoiflcation of Letters Patent.

the requisite lace prior to introducing the nut between t e jaws and, therefore, [10- Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Application filed April 8,1918. Serial No. 88,678.

ward without loss of time and one wherein an accurate adjustment to accord with variations in the sizes of the nuts may be readily eiiected.

Further objects are to simplify the construction and operation, and reduce the cost of roduction, of such devices.

\Q'ith the above and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the invention, showing the same mounted ready for use, the support being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a detail view partly in section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a slightly modified construction; Fig. 4 is a detail view partly in section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a detail view, artly in section, taken on the line 5-5 0 Fig. 1.

In accordance with the embodiment of the invention herein shown, it becomes necrapid adjustment to accord with the size of the nut and the final a plication of force for cracking the latter, it being noted that thus, one hand remains free at all times :for handling the nuts and that, in consequence the nut to be operated upon may be introduced into place between the jaws prior to effecting the desired initial adjustment, whereby such adjustment may be accurately performed and the other steps of the nut cracking operation be carried forward rapidlv and without loss of time.

Referrin tothe drawings, it will be seen that the evice, which is adapted to be mounted for use upon a support 1, comprises an elongatedfbody 2, provided near. its forward end with 11 depending portion or bracket 3 having a rearwardly projecting arm 4 extending substantially parallel with the body 2 and-terminating in a boss 5, through which is tapped a clamping screw 6 operable for clamping the deviceon the su ort 1. A

ormed, or otherwise provided, on the forward endof the body 2, is a fixed jaw 7 disposed for cooperation with a movable jaw 8 mounted, preferably by a ball and socket connection 9, upon the forward .end of an actuating member .or shaft 10 adapted for manual operation and having its rear and equipped for this purpose with ahand piece 11.

The forward portion of the member or shaft 10 is made in the form of a power screw 12 arranged to work through an adjustable ratchet block 18 slid-ably disposed upon the rear portion of the body 2, the said b Ock,\\hiCl1 is channeled at 14 to seat over said body, being provided with a tooth 15 formed for coactive engagement with any one of a series of teeth 16 provided on the body 2, siifiicient movement or play re'la-tive'to the body to permit of disengagement of the tooth 1.5 from the teeth 16, in efi'ectin adjustments of the block, and that the all and socket connection 9 provides for such manipulation of the block through the medium of the shaft 10.

In practice the device having been mounted and clamped upon the support 1, as shown, the operator grasps the grip piece 11 of the shaft 10, with one hand am with the other holds the nut to be placed between the jaws. The shaft 10 is tien tilted slliaglrtly upward, to the dotted line osition in ig. 1, thereby freeing block'13 rom engagement with rack 16 whereupon the shaft may be shifted bodily for moving'jaw "8 rearward to permit introduction of the nut into position between the jaws. An initial relative adjustment of the jaws to accord with the size of the-nut is now efl'ected b shifting the shaft 10 bodily forward, there y moving the aw 8,.mounted on'said shaft, to position against the nut. The shaft is now swung downward causing tooth 15 to engage one of the teeth 16 and fix the block 18 against movement whereupon rotation of the shaft 0 crates throu h action of its threaded portion 12 in the lock to move the jaw 8 with sufficient force to crack the nut between the w In order that the movable jaw 8 may, during the above operation of the device, correctly follow its proper path of movement toward and from the fixed jaw 7, the said jaw 8 is, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, provided with a guide portion or box 17, formed to slidably on age the side edges 18 of the body 2, for gui ing the jaw in its movements, while in the embodiment shown in Figs. 3

and 4 the side edges of the bod are, throighout a portion of their lengt extend upward y formin guides 19 isposed and arranged to guide t readily understood.

In that embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the jaw '8 is as seen more clearly in Fig. 5, rovided with a vertical slot or channel 20 aving-tlie ball receiving socket at its upper end and affording pase jaw 8, as will be it being noted that the b'lock'has' thereon, a pair 0 sagewa for the shaft 10. Provision is thus made or eil'ectiii ready assemblage of the parts in making t 10 ball and Socket connec tion 9.

It is to be particularly observed that in the operation, above described, the relative movements of the jaws both for attaining the initial adjustment and also the application of force to break the nut hull are accomilislied b manipulation of the one movable aw 8, tiroiigh the medium of the screw shaft 10 and that a comparatively slight rotation of the latter will, after the initial ad gustinent, be effective for cracking the nut. nrthermore, it will be .seen that in the operation of this device one hand remains free at all times for use in introducing the nuts into, or removing them from, position between the jaws and that consequently the work may be performed smoothly and rapidly.

rom the foregoin it will be seen that the device fully accomp ishes its stated objects, in the attainment of which, the invention is not necessarily restricted to the structural details herein disclosed, as various minor changes may be made therein without dcparting from the spirit or scope of the iiivention.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claime is:

1. A nut crackingdevice comprising abody portion, abearin lock adjiistably mounted nut crac ring jaws, one of said 'aws b "ng movable with said block for e ectin an initial rapid adjustment of the 'aws, re atively, to accord with the size of t e nut and independently of the block for exerting a nut cracking force, means for holding the block in adjusted positions, and means associated with said block for cilecting said independent movement of said jaw, constructed and arranged to release the block from engagement with said body. 2. A nut cracking device comprising a body portion having a jaw, a bearing block mounted on said body for adjustment toward and from said jaw, means for holding the block in adjusted positions, a movable jaw interposed between said first named jaw and block and movable with the latter for effecting an initial rapid adjustment of the aws, relatively, to accord with the size of the nut, and an operating member connecting said movable jaw on said block and operab e for effecting an independent movement of the jaw exert a nut cracking force, said member being constructed and arranged for movement to release the block from said body.-

3. A not cracking device comprising a body having a jaw, a bearing 'block mounted on said body for adjustment toward and from said jaw, means for holding said block in adjusted positions, a movable jaw interposed between said block and first named cord with the size of the nut, said screw be- JttW and ada ted for coiiperation with the ing operable for effecting independent movelntter in crac ing the nuts, and an actuating ment of said movable jaw to crack the nut 10 screw operatively en aged with said block and for releasing said block from said body. .3 and movable jaw an connecting the latter In testimon whereof I ufiix my, signature for movement with the block in eflecting an this 28 day 0 Februar; 1916. initial rapid adjustment of the jaws to 8,0- FREDERICK HACHMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained (or five cents eeoh, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, wssnlngton, 2D. 0." 

